This week, as a community and as a nation, we buried one of our own. While many families have and will experience the tragic and violent death of a loved one, there is something particularly shocking when that person is a member of our police services. In Doug's case it was all the more so because of his age and the amount of time that he'd been a Constable in the RCMP. His death has caused many to ask serious questions about the security risks police officers take every day when they arrive for their shift; about the rational of sending such a young person to such a remote location; and of the general publics safety. There are no simple answers to these questions. The reality of life is such that people will commit violent crimes. The reality of life is such that people will continue to die from such crimes. Yet in the midst of the mourning around Doug's death perhaps a light has been shone on the plight of northern communities and the conditions in which they live. Our country has many demons to deal with and perhaps, just perhaps, Doug's tragic death will help us come face to face with the necessity of right relations with our aboriginal sisters and brothers. He stood shoulder to shoulder with those who call the great white north their home and regarded them as equals, how can we do any different?
The clip us from YouTube and is a tribute to Doug. May his family and the two communities directly affected by his tragic death know the healing potential of God's Holy Spirit and may we all work towards right relations within our own families and communities.
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